FOODS THAT PROLONG LIFE

Overeating and eating excessive amounts of saturated fat, trans fats and added sugars increases your risk for health problems, while a nutritious diet that supports cardiovascular health and weight management does the opposite. A healthy diet can help or hinder your longevity. In addition to regular physical activity and not smoking, the American Heart Association describes a healthy diet as one of your "best weapons" against cardiovascular disease -- the leading cause of death in America. For best results, seek specified guidance from a professional. Whole Grains Whole grains have not been stripped of valuable nutrients and fiber during food processing. Eating a diet rich in whole grains reduces your risk for high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain forms of cancer, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. A diet that includes whole grains also increases your chance of survival once you have heart disease or cancer. To reap life-elongating benefits of whole grains, replace enriched breads, pasta, cereals and snack foods with whole grains, such as oats, brown rice, wild rice, bulgur, whole wheat, popcorn and quinoa, most often. When purchasing foods made with whole grains, check packaging to ensure that whole grains are listed as main ingredients. Fatty Fish, Walnuts and Flaxseed Fatty fish, walnuts and flaxseed provide healthy unsaturated fats known as omega-3 fatty acids. Research published in "Age," in July 2010 showed a positive correlation between a Mediterranean diet, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and heightened longevity. In the study, the relationships between nutrient intake, Mediterranean dietary habits and mortality of 1,037 70-year-old participants were analyzed. By the study's end, the researchers found a significant positive correlation between delayed death and consumption of whole grains and unsaturated fatty acids. Omega-3 fats are also associated with positive heart health, cholesterol levels and brain function. To reap maximum benefits of omega-3 fats, consume fatty fish, such as tuna, salmon, herring, sardines, halibut and lake trout, ground flaxseed, walnuts and/or walnut oil regularly. Since omega-3 fats also enhance nutrient absorption, incorporate these foods into nutritious meals for added benefits. Fruits and Vegetables Fruits and vegetables are prime sources of antioxidants -- nutrients that protect your body from potentially cancer-causing substances known as free radicals. As nutrient and fiberrich foods that contain relatively few calories, fresh fruits and vegetables support appetite control, weight management and digestive health. Fruits and vegetables also help keep your blood pressure levels low, according to the American Heart Association, and reduce your overall risk for death related to heart disease. Incorporate a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables into your meals and snacks routinely for best results. Varieties particularly rich in antioxidants include berries, cherries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, red and green bell peppers, sweet potatoes and winter squash.

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Top 10 Calcium-Rich Foods Your bones and your waistline will reap the benefits
WebMD Feature Calcium helps you lose weight, studies show. "Really exciting research shows that if you get three servings of dairy daily, you're not only preventing osteoporosis, but you're enhancing weight loss," says WebMDWeight Loss Clinic dietitian Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD. However, that research has only involved dairy projects, she adds. "It seems there is a synergistic relationship between protein and calcium. Eating other calcium-rich foods, like collards, won't do that." Nonetheless, calcium in any form is good for your body. Some of the top calcium-rich foods are: 1. Cheese 2. Yogurt 3. Milk 4. Sardines 5. Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, turnips, and collard greens 6. Fortified cereals such as Total, Raisin Bran, Corn Flakes (They have a lot of calcium in one serving.) 7. Fortified orange juice 8. Soybeans 9. Fortified soymilk (Not all soymilk is a good source of calcium, so it's best to check the label.) 10. Enriched breads, grains, and waffles.

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Iron-Rich Foods
Spinach may not give you superhuman strength to fight off villains like Popeye's nemesis Bluto, but this leafy green and other foods containing iron can help you fight a different type of enemy -- iron-deficiency anemia. Iron-deficiency anemia, the most common form of anemia, is a decrease in the number of red blood cells caused by too little iron. Without sufficient iron, your body can't produce enough hemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that makes it possible for them to carry oxygen to the body's tissues. As a result, you may feel weak, tired, and irritable. About 20% of women, 50% of pregnantwomen, and 3% of men do not have enough iron in their body. The solution, in many cases, is to consume more foods high in iron. How Your Body Uses Iron in Food When you eat food with iron, iron is absorbed into your body mainly through the upper part of your small intestine. There are two forms of dietary iron: heme and nonheme. Heme iron is derived from hemoglobin. It is found in animal foods that originally contained hemoglobin, such as red meats, fish, and poultry. Your body absorbs the most iron from heme sources.

High-in-Iron Food Sources Very good sources of heme iron, with 3.5 milligrams or more per serving, include:

3 ounces of beef or chicken liver 3 ounces of clams or mollusks 3 ounces of oysters Good sources of heme iron, with 2.1 milligrams or more per serving, include:

3 ounces of cooked beef 3 ounces of canned sardines, canned in oil 3 ounces of cooked turkey Other sources of heme iron, with 0.7 milligrams or more per serving, include:

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3 ounces of chicken 3 ounces of halibut, haddock, perch, salmon, or tuna 3 ounces of ham 3 ounces of veal

Iron in plant foods such as lentils, beans, and spinach is nonheme iron. This is the form of iron added to iron-enriched and iron-fortified foods. Our bodies are less efficient at absorbing nonheme iron, but most dietary iron is nonheme iron. Very good sources of nonheme iron, with 3.5 milligrams or more per serving, include:

Breakfast cereals enriched with iron One cup of cooked beans One-half cup of tofu 1 ounce of pumpkin, sesame, or squash seeds Good sources of nonheme iron, with 2.1 milligrams or more per serving, include:

One-half cup of canned lima beans, red kidney beans, chickpeas, or split peas One cup of dried apricots One medium baked potato One medium stalk of broccoli One cup of cooked enriched egg noodles One-fourth cup of wheat germ Other sources of nonheme iron, with 0.7 milligrams or more, include:

1 ounce of peanuts, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, roasted almonds, roasted cashews, or sunflower seeds One-half cup of dried seedless raisins, peaches, or prunes One cup of spinach One medium green pepper One cup of pasta One slice of bread, pumpernickel bagel, or bran muffin One cup of rice.

Protein Rich Foods

Protein Surprisingly, some parents don't worry about finding calcium rich foods or iron rich foods, which kids often don't get enough of. Instead, they worry that their kids don't get enough protein in their diet because they don't like to eat meat. Most can be reassured that their kids are getting plenty of protein in their diet though, especially when you consider that according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 'protein is so abundant in the foods Americans eat, that most of us, children and adults alike, consume more than we need.' Keep in mind that only about 10 to 20 percent of your calories are supposed to come from protein, with the rest coming from carbohydrates and fats. Protein Requirements Protein requirements depend on a child's age and weight. For example, the average 4-6 year old preschooler requires about 22 grams of protein a day, while an older 7-10 year old requires about 28 grams of protein a day. Making things a little more complicated, protein requirements also depend on the 'quality' of protein your child eats and how easily digestible it is. In general, animal proteins, such as from milk, eggs, and meats, are considered highly digestible and higher quality than plant sources of protein. You don't have to worry about this though, as long as you vary which protein foods your child eats. Even if your child only eats plant sources of protein, as long as you pair them, such as by eating grains and legumes, you can get the right amounts of proteins in your child's diet. Protein Rich Foods I think that one of the reasons that parents don't think that their kids get enough protein in their diets is that they simply aren't aware that protein is in so many different foods! Many foods besides red meat are high in protein, which means that your kids are likely getting much more protein in their diet than you think.

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Even if you think your kids are getting enough protein in their diet, understanding which foods have protein can be a good idea because nutrition experts often recommend that we vary our protein sources. Common protein rich foods can include:

Milk Soy Milk Eggs Cheese Yogurt Peanut Butter Lean Meats, Fish, and Poultry Beans, Tofu, Lentils, and other Legumes Grains, including bread and pasta Nuts and Seeds It can also be easy to find high protein foods by reading food labels and looking for foods with a higher protein number than other foods, such as from 6 to 10g or more. Protein Fortified Foods In addition to foods that naturally have a lot of protein in them, parents can also buy protein supplements, such as:

Protein fortified drink mixes, including Pediasure or Carnation Instant Breakfast

Protein Foods Kids Like Some ideas for high protein foods that can combine more than one protein rich food, such as a cheeseburger, which includes meat, cheese, and a bun, include:

Tuna Fish Sandwich Cheeseburger Cheese Pizza Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Macaroni and Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwich Remember to stick with healthy choices though as you look for protein rich foods.

20 Good Foods That are Great for Your Skin

It doesnt take much more than common sense to realize that what you put into your body is going to have an impact on how your body looks and feels. If you eat foods that are filled with fat, cooked in grease and high on the sugar then your body is going to reflect that in its shape, size and texture. In contrast, if you consume foods that are healthy for you then your body is going to respond by looking and feeling healthier. This is true at all levels including the level of your skin. People who want to have skin that looks young and supple and that has that healthy natural glow to it need to start by paying attention to what types of foods they are putting into their bodies. Take a look at the following twenty foods that are good for your skin and think about which ones you can easily add to your diet to get that youthful skin appearance that you desire: 1. Water. The number one thing that you can put into your body if you want greatlooking skin is water. The more water you drink, the more you flush all of the other stuff out of your body and the healthier your skin is going to look. 2. Green tea. When youre not drinking water, you should be drinking green tea. It has many, many different health benefits including benefits for the skin. You can drink it cold or warm. Avoid adding sugar or milk to it if you want the best benefits for your skin. 3. Cantaloupe. This food increases antioxidants in your body which increases your ability to absorb free radicals which in turn reduce skin problems so that you have healthier skin. 4. Tomatoes. This is another food that is rich in anti-oxidants and so will have the same skin-boosting benefits that the cantaloupe will give to you. 5. Berries. Strawberries, blueberries and blackberries are all berries that are also rich in antioxidants. Eat them alone, toss them in cereal or add them to the sides of other dishes to increase the healthiness of your skin all throughout the day. 6. Plums. There really is a long list of fruits that you can eat that are rich in antioxidants and that are therefore good for your skin. 7. Sweet potatoes. This is a vegetable alternative to the cantaloupe and tomato options that you may want to try to get those free radicals flowing healthfully throughout your body and fighting off skin problems. 31

8. Broccoli. This is a great vegetable that has many different health benefitswhich is why youre always hearing that you should eat your broccoli. One of the things it contains a whole lot of is Vitamin A, a vitamin that is great at improving the turnover of cells in the skin. This means that when you eat broccoli, your skin gets renewed more quickly and the freshest (nicest looking) skin is on top where everyone you meet can see it. 9. Spinach. This food doesnt just make you strong like Popeye. Its also rich in the same Vitamin A properties that broccoli has so its good for your skin as well. You never saw Popeye looking like he had dry, aged skin did you?! 10. Carrots. If you want to get your Vitamin A but you arent that big of a fan of leafy green vegetables then you may want to turn to carrots to improve your skin with this vitamin. 11. Low Fat Dairy. Diary products are another really great source of Vitamin A so they can be really good for the skin. However, you want to avoid the fat that is in a lot of these foods so make sure that you look for low-fat versions of cheese and milk that are rich in Vitamin A. 12. Omega3 Rich Fish Dishes. Omega3 is that good fat that were always trying to get even though we try to avoid the bad fat. One of the things that the Omega3 fats do is ward off any kind of inflammation. This means theyre good for the skin. You can find these in many different fish dishes including tuna, shellfish, sardines and salmon. 13. Flax seeds. You dont have to eat fish to get the essential fatty acids that your body needs (and that improve your skin). An alternative option is to eat flax seeds and to cook with flax seed oil. 14. Walnuts. These are yet another option that you can choose in addition to flax seeds or fish dishes if you want to improve your skin with those essential fatty acids. 15. Grapefruit. This food is really rich in Vitamin C. Vitamin C is great for people concerned about skin problems because it delays or reduces wrinkles. 16. Oranges. Just like with grapefruits, these are great for the skin because they are so rich in Vitamin C. 17. Brussel Sprouts. Most people think that you have to eat citrus fruits to get Vitamin C but there are a few vegetables out there that have it as well. Brussel sprouts are a good one for the skin. Peas are another option.

18. Whole wheat. Another ingredient in some foods that is really good for your skin is selenium. This is found in whole wheat cereals, breads and baked goods. This improves the skin at a cellular level and keeps you looking young and beautiful. 19. Lean red meat. Some people have poor skin because they dont have enough iron in their diets. If you are concerned that youre too pale or you have dark circles under your eyes then you may need more iron. Red meat is a great source for that but make sure that youre not eating any red meat that is too high in fat. 20. Eggs. Eggs are a good iron-providing alternative for people who dont want to eat much red meat. Adding these foods to your diet should go a long way towards improving the healthfulness of your skin. However, its just as important to cut out foods from your diet as it is to add foods if you do want healthy skin. Make sure that you reduce your intake of caffeine, bad fats, salt, sugar, etc. to maximize the healthy benefits that your skin is getting from the intake of these other good foods!

Foods that fights Cancer

One of the easiest things for a person touched by cancer to address is their diet. Here are 12 foods that can each play a role in fighting one or more steps in the multi-step cancer process.

Remember that good nourishment is a crucial weapon in the fight against cancer and any illness. Good cancer nutrition can be vital in increasing your personal odds of survival. Remember too that natural compounds are likely to do you a lot more good than synthetic pills! So here are a few additions to your cancer diet, as a part of your own Integrated Cancer Treatment Programme. 1: Oily Fish Vitamin A is an important vitamin in the fight against cancer. Oily fish is the best provider, with herring, mackerel and salmon top of the list. Fish oil will also give you long chain Omega-3 as well which has been linked to reduced levels of prostate, breast and colon cancer. Youll also get a little vitamin D, a proven cancer-fighter too. 2: Carrots Along with apricots, peppers and pumpkins, they provide cancer carotenoids like beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A, when required by the body. 1 cup of carrot juice, 2 sweet potatoes, 16 dried apricots and 4 cups of red cherries will each provide 25mgs. Dont eat them all at once - people have been known to turn a little orange! A great juice to make yourself involves carrots and apples (for quercitin) and beetroot (for anthocyanins). A real cancer fighting drink! 3: Red Peppers The top source of vitamin C - even better than oranges. Vitamin C strengthens your immune cells and neutralises toxins. Linus Pauling thought cancer patients should consume 2 to 10 gms per day. A large red pepper is 250 mgs. 200 gms raw broccoli 175 mgs. 150 gms papaya 90 mgs. An orange 65 mgs. Berries and cherries are great sources.

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4: Sunflower Seeds High in zinc and vitamin E. Zinc helps vitamin C do its work and accelerates healing time. It is important to a healthy prostate. You need 15 to 25 mgs per day. Five tablespoons of sunflower seeds give you 10 mgs. Best are oysters, 3 are enough. Milk can block zinc absorption. Sunflower seeds will also provide a little selenium. Pumpkin Seeds Can be mixed with the sunflower seeds in your morning mueseli. 5 tablespoons will each provide 20 mgs of vitamin E, the ultimate cancer buster, which inhibits cancer cell growth and protects immune cells from free radicals. Vitamin E boosts your immune systems fighting abilities. The target is 300-600 mgs and is difficult to achieve without supplements. Green vegetables, soya and almonds are also good sources. 5: Brazil Nuts Six cracked nuts will give you your daily selenium; 100 to 200 mcgs is the goal. Selenium is a very potent anti-cancer agent. Eight slices of wholemeal bread, an organic egg, or a large chicken breast will also be enough. Tuna, onions, broccoli and tomatoes contain selenium too. 6: Mushrooms Theres an enormous body of research evidence now that shows how medicinal mushrooms (Shiitake, Maiitake, cordyceps etc) boost the immune sustem and fight cancer. Even the button mushroom has cancer fighting ingredients. 7: Tomatoes Seven to ten helpings per week, especially cooked. According to Harvard research 7-10 helpings a week cuts prostate symptoms by 40% and has an influence on many cancers e.g.: lung; colon; cervix; breast. Lycopene is the prime active ingredient, and 25 - 40 mgs the desired daily dose. It is also found in strawberries, peppers, carrots and peaches, but one tin of tomato soup has 65 mgs alone. 8: Egg Yolk Along with green leafy vegetables, avocado, beans, carrots, apricots and pumpkins, egg yolk will give you folic acid. This will help your DNA to replicate properly and protect it during radiotherapy. 400 micrograms is a recommemended amount. Folate, biotin, niacin and vitamin B6 are all B vitamins that help in the cancer fight. Egg yolk, greens and whole grains are the best sources.

9: Broccoli And other green cruciferous vegetables e.g. cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts, contain fibre which helps eliminate toxins Moreover, the fibre is rich in galactose, which binds to damaging agents in the intestine. Cruciferous vegetables also contain indole, and especially indole3carbinol, which modifies and diminishes aggressive oestrogen action and aids in fighting oestrogen driven cancers like some breast, prostate, brain and colorectal cancers. Finally, sulphorophane in broccoli and especially sprouting broccoli seeds helps the liver detoxify, and reduces stomach cancer tumours. 10: Garlic It is a truly wonderful food. It seems to act to stop the spread of cancer in a number of ways, for example by stopping blood supply forming for tumours. Garlic has a number of active ingredients. It contains selenium, tryptophan and sulpher based active agents that attack cancer cells. Two or three raw cloves of garlic per day will ward off more than vampires. 11: Beetroot And cherries, aubergines, red grapes - indeed any purple coloured fruits and vegeatables. They contain anthocyanins (and sometimes also resveratrol). Anthocyanins have been shown to kill cancer cells; resveratrrol has research supporting its role in fighting certain cancers like blood and brain cancers too. 12: Pulses Lentils, chickpeas, beans and even soya etc. are a great source of fibre and protein without the animal fat. Pulses also contain isoflavones, phytoestrogens. People get confused about plant oestrogen. The cells of your body have oestrogen receptor sites. When one form of human oestrogen (oestradiol) binds to them, the result is havoc inside your cells. About 40 times less potent is human oestrogen oestrone and about 40 to 50 times less potent still are plant oestrogens. Now which would you rather have sitting on your receptors? Pulses also provide fibres like lignans that can help neutralise free-radicals in the gut and blood stream.Eat pulses every two days.